Just Acting
by Stellata
Summary: After the first annoying article in the Daily Prophet, Ginny thinks up a plan to get Harry better press. Only her idea involves Harry and Hermione pretending to be a couple. Can they pull off the act-and can it become something more? HHr, 4th year AU.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me (sadly). I'm just playing with them!

Note: Starts with a Ginny introspective bit, but it will definitely be Harry/Hermione (with a bit of Ginny/Dean).

* * *

Ginny Weasley was upset about many things. Firstly, she didn't get nearly enough attention from anybody; her family, her peers, or the boys she thought were cute. Right now she was very upset at her brother Ron for abandoning his friend Harry, who Ginny still kind of had a crush on (although she also had a crush on Dean Thomas, and Jason Davidson, and several other boys as well - she was a thirteen year old girl after all).

She was also very upset when she had read the Daily Prophet that morning. There was a very large piece on Harry Potter, which was many pages long, and was a complete piece of tripe. Ginny had ears, and she had eyes, and she knew Harry wasn't anything like Rita Skeeter made him out to be.

Then came the part of the article that made her stop still.

_Harry has at last found love at Hogwarts. His close friend, Colin Creevey, says that Harry is rarely seen out of the company of one Hermione Granger, a stunningly pretty Muggle-born girl who, like Harry, is one of the top students in the school._

Ginny had had to take a deep breath. Of course she knew Harry and Hermione weren't dating. But of course she also knew that Harry and Hermione were close. She knew they practically never left each other's side, and that Hermione was probably the only girl in the world that completely understood and loved Harry exactly as he was.

Knowing that even Colin Creevey saw what could be between Harry and Hermione brought it home for her. Hermione was the girl for Harry.

Ginny glanced down the table, to where Harry and Hermione were sitting. A little ways closer was Dean Thomas, who shot her a shy smile. She blushed, but grinned back. Suddenly the day didn't look quite as grim.

Ginny ate her potatoes as she slowly hatched a plan.

* * *

Harry and Hermione looked at her in complete surprise.

"Trust me, it'll work!" Ginny pleaded. "And it won't be that hard - just hold hands and kiss each other on the cheek in public, all right?"

Hermione looked rather dubious and refused to meet Harry's eyes.

Harry grabbed her hand and squeezed.

"It won't be that hard, will it, Hermione?"

"No," Hermione sighed. "When do we meet her?"

* * *

Luna Lovegood looked like an eccentric fairy. She had long, ethereal blonde hair, luminous eyes, and very small, elfin features.

"Tell me more," she would say occasionally, and Harry would continue with the rehearsed speech, trying not to stare at the hand-painted pictures of vegetables across her shirt, or the large cabbage earrings she was wearing.

Occasionally Hermione would say a few things to support Harry, or to make a few new points.

Luna looked very solemn throughout the interview, and when they were through, the third year Ravenclaw started singing London Bridge under her breath.

Hermione and Harry looked at each other in confusion.

"This will sell very well," Luna said thoughtfully. "But I'm sure my father wouldn't object to paying you something..."

"I don't need anything - " Harry began.

"Like perhaps sending free copies of this edition to every student in school," Luna said sweetly.

Hermione finally smiled at her.

"That would be perfect, thank you, Luna."

* * *

The next day the entire school was surprised when they all received copies of the Quibbler. A few people made to just throw it away, but then their neighbors told them not to because the headline caught their eye.

_The Truth about Harry Potter - an Interview with Harry Potter on page 2. _

Below that headline was _The Tri-Wizard Tournament come to Hogwarts_, which had pictures of Cedric, Fleur, and Krum and biographies of them all. A few people skimmed over that, but most turned directly to the interview with Harry on the second page.

Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Slytherins alike gasped as they read the article.

It began with Harry stating that he was furious that he had to participate in a contest he had not entered - and derided the abilities of the judges for not being more careful with the Goblet of Fire. He then declared that as he believed Cedric Diggory to be the rightful Hogwarts Champion, Harry would simply not be trying to win, because he didn't consider himself a true Champion. He then claimed he didn't want to enter the tournament: he was much younger and less experienced than the other contestants, and he simply wanted to lead a normal life.

He then claimed that ever since he became the Boy-Who-Lived, many supporters of the Dark Lord had tried to kill him for an event that he couldn't help, as he was a baby at the time. Professor Flitwick, who Luna had interviewed, then spoke briefly about the fact that Harry's life was probably saved by Lily through use of one of three magical rituals involving human sacrifice, and that it was thus Lily Potter, and not the baby Harry, who defeated Voldemort.

Harry and Hermione were both quoted talking about how Quirrell, a Voldemort supporter, tried to kill Harry, and how they suspected a Death Eater or one of Voldemort's supporters was the one whom put Harry's name in the goblet, in an attempt to get him killed.

Harry finished by saying that he just wanted to have the truth published somewhere after Rita Skeeter completely lied about everything he had said. The only thing she got right, Harry added, was that he and Hermione were together.

"She's the only one who's always been there for me, ever since we've become friends. I think she's the smartest, most beautiful girl that I know. I only hope that I make her as happy as she makes me."

As most people finished the article, they turned to look at Harry. He simply stood up with Hermione. Hand in hand, they left the Great Hall.

The moment they were gone, there was an uproar as everyone began discussing the Quibbler.

* * *

Luna was delighted. The Quibbler had never sold so many copies before, and they had had to reprint it several times to meet all the orders coming in. Her father was very happy, and had promised to let her be a full reporter as soon as she wished to, all because of the interview article she had done with Harry.

She caught up to Harry and Hermione out by the greenhouses, where they were talking quietly.

"I just wanted to thank you both," she told them, and they looked up. "If you have something else you'd like to say, come to me and I'll see if my Dad will print it. We've never sold so well before."

"I'll keep that in mind," Harry smiled wryly. "I'm glad it all worked out for you guys, I really appreciate being able to have the truth published for once."

Luna beamed, and looked down at their held hands. Her friend Ginny had told her Harry and Hermione were just going to act like they were together, but they seemed to be carrying the act quite far; there was nobody around and they were still practically cuddling.

"You two are very cute together," Luna smiled at them. "Let me know if you want me to start knitting baby socks. I knit carrots very well, you know."

"Okay," Hermione said weakly. "Thanks, Luna."

Luna just nodded and skipped off, humming merrily, her butterbeer cap earrings bobbing along to the music.

"Did she just – offer to knit us baby socks?" Harry asked, rather stunned.

"We've only been doing this for two weeks and she's thinking about us having babies," Hermione declared, shaking her head. "I like her, but she's off her rocker. Us – babies!"

"I bet we'd have beautiful children," Harry said.

Hermione looked at him in shocked surprise.

Harry blushed furiously – he hadn't realized he had said that out loud.

"You do?" She asked in amusement.

"Er – yes," he whispered.

Hermione just smiled at him and squeezed his hand happily, images of a future together finally beginning to dance through her mind. She had no idea that Harry was thinking very similar thoughts.

* * *

A/N: This will not be a very long story - I imagine a few more chapters will finish it off. It won't go past 4th year, but it will hopefully leave hints of what may happen in the future because of the changed events in this story.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all of its characters do not belong to me. I'm just playing with them...

A/N: Remember, this is set during 4th year. Yes, this would create an AU.

* * *

_Chapter Two_

* * *

Harry was finding life a lot more peaceful since they had put Ginny's Plan into action. Yes, there was still schoolwork to be done, and nasty comments to be endured, but he really didn't care - as long as Hermione was by his side.

Now that he had an excuse, he could hold her hand all he liked… Snuggle up against her in the Common Room and the Dining Hall… Even shoot her meaningful glances whenever he felt like.

Hermione didn't seem to mind at all - in fact, Harry took pride in making her smile. A hug would make her smile at him warmly, and brushing her hair out of her face with his hand would make her breathe hard while still smiling. It was fun to experiment and see all the different smiles she had.

Before now, he'd been used to the 'good work, Harry' smile, the 'you're so silly sometimes' smile, the 'i can't believe you survived that, don't you ever scare me like that again!' smile, the 'i'm glad you're my friend, Harry' smile, and who could forget the 'i'm sleepy but i want to stay up with you anyway' smiles. Now there were so many, and he didn't even have to label them all, because there were more and more coming every day.

The hardest part of it all was that Harry wanted to know if Hermione would ever consider doing more than just acting… Truth be told, he'd wondered what it would be like to date Hermione a thousand times already. Harry had imagined kissing her a hundred times over, but he had never been brave enough to face the possibility of ruining their friendship.

"So I figure if we practice once a month, we won't be too out of shape for next year," Katie Bell was saying to Angelina, and Harry nodded in agreement.

"If we could do it twice a month, I'd prefer that," he put in.

"Even with the extra work of being a Champion?" Angelina raised an eyebrow.

"Harry can handle it," Hermione said softly as she approached the table.

Angelina and Katie exchanged smiles as Harry's face lit up at Hermione's arrival. That boy really had it bad, they thought to themselves.

"I'm just trying to live, after all - not to win," Harry added to Angelina and Katie before turning to Hermione.

"How was Ancient Runes?" Harry asked, leaning to kiss Hermione's cheek as she sat down.

"It was - " Hermione turned towards Harry, and accidentally met his lips with her own.

They both paused, their lips tingling and their breath mingling. Harry groaned, and Hermione pulled him closer, kissing him hard and fast.

"Missed you," She breathed as she released him.

"Me too," Harry managed to say, unable to look away from her. Did this mean…?

Hermione leaned forward again and kissed him briefly before moving her lips to his ear and whispering, oh so softly…

"I'm not acting, Harry."

And as Harry beamed, he knew that those four words were enough to produce a thousand Patroni.

* * *

The moment Ginny saw the kiss - she was only a few seats down - she wanted to jump up and punch the air in her excitement. Somehow she managed to just grin and turn back to Dean, who was talking to her about Wizarding Art, a topic he found fascinating, and that Ginny was starting to like as well.

"And once you mix that elixir with a bit of floo powder, combine it with the paint for doing portraits of people and other creatures, and that's how they move around."

"But if you wanted to paint a tree with that paint, it could walk around too?" Ginny wondered.

"Certainly!" Dean laughed. "I'd love to see that… A whole forest pursuing Sir Cadogan down the halls - he'd be terrified."

Ginny laughed at the thought.

"So, Dean, I have a question…"

"Yes?"

"Want to check out the Art Shop in Hogsmeade with me next weekend?" She asked boldly.

"I'd love to," he smiled, and a flicker in his eye made Ginny know that he realized her intentions, and liked them.

"Excellent," Ginny replied, and squeezed his hand, inducing a grin from him, before returning to her apple pie.

* * *

Hermione had thought acting was fun - spending extra time with the boy she loved so much, getting to touch him and cuddle him in ways she never could before…

But the real thing was even better.

The whole reason for the act, Ginny had said, was to prove that one thing - their relationship - Harry said was true beyond a doubt, therefore lending credibility to the rest of his tale. Now that everything was real - she didn't hesitate to snog Harry briefly in public whenever she liked - outside of classes or the library, of course! - belief in Harry's word was higher than ever.

If someone had told Hermione a year ago that she would enjoy kissing more than reading, she would have said they were crazy. But these days… It was a close call… But kissing did win in the end.

Harry always had the perfect blend of gentleness and ferocity - enough to keep her relaxed, but also make her blood boil when he so chose.

She had never been happier to have taken a chance. The pay-off was just too damn good.

* * *

Harry walked onto the field wearing a large button that read _Cedric Diggory is the Real Hogwarts Champion._

"Sonorus," he intoned. "Good afternoon, everybody. I'd like to make something very clear to you all. I did not sign up for this tournament. I am not the Hogwarts champion - that would be Cedric Diggory. I heartily endorse Cedric in this competition. Now, I'm terribly sorry to waste your time today, but let me assure you I would rather be in the stands watching the seventh year competitors face these dragons… Also, a note to any Death Eaters in the audience - I am not amused by the way you put my name in the goblet. Seriously. I'm a fourteen year old boy with completely average grades. My mother defeated Voldemort, not me. So just get over yourselves and find something better to do with your time than harass me, okay? Take up knitting, run a marathon, collect stamps - whatever your thing is. Please feel free to talk amongst yourselves, I can guarantee this won't be too exciting."

With those words, Harry sat down on the grass, took a book from his pocket, and cast a shield charm over himself before beginning to read.

The Hungarian Horntail glanced over, decided he wasn't a threat, and settled down peaceably on top of her eggs. She dozed with one eye open while Harry read his book quietly.

Most of the audience was disappointed, but most had begun to understand the truth of Harry's situation.

"That's really good of him," Susan Bones remarked to Cedric Diggory.

"Yeah…" Cedric said slowly, smiling. "Harry's a good guy."

"Hah, he told those Death Eaters where to stick it!" George Weasley nudged his brother Fred.

"Not very exciting though," Fred pointed out.

"Oh well," Lee Jordan shrugged. "At least there's no way we're going to lose our star seeker for next year, if he's not putting himself in danger."

"Good point!" Alicia agreed.

Hermione just smiled down at Harry.

When the judges finally declared Harry's time was up, the 4th year stood up, bowed very sarcastically, and walked off the field.

Madam Pomfrey stopped him.

"That was very smart," she told Harry fondly. "I do hope you don't get injured at all this year."

Harry grinned at her.

"Here's hoping."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I disclaim!

(Warning: Mild swearing. Mention of slash fan girls... Also, a very brief mention of slash. Yes, just because I felt like it. If you don't like it, go get some therapy. Seriously.)

A/N: I have not been very inspired to write this fic, and honestly couldn't see it becoming a long story. Therefore, this is the final chapter. You'll see its not completely wrapped up - things are left unanswered... But I like it that way. After all, it leaves so many possibilities for the future after this.

* * *

Chapter Three

It had taken him far too long to figure out what was happening.

But now, as it sunk in, all Harry could feel was fury. A quick Sonorus, and then the entire assembly shuddered as his yell deafened them all.

"I told you I would have no part in this!" Harry bellowed. "How many times do I have to tell you, Dumbledore? Instead - you do _this_!"

His voice suddenly quieted, and Harry began to smile.

"I'm going to save my girlfriend," he said quietly. "But not for you - and not for this tournament. I'm through with this damn competition."

Abandoning the conjured floating beach chair and multicolored umbrella - he'd planned to lounge on the water while reading a book, until the time to complete the Second Task ran out - Harry strode to the water.

_They had Hermione._

He hadn't prepared for the Task.

But it didn't matter.

Harry wanted to get somewhere - so he damn well would.

He stared at the water for a moment, considering. He wasn't a good swimmer - also, there were also probably all sorts of things in that lake - the giant squid, the merpeople…

Given that the crazies that organized the tournament had made them face dragons, Harry bet they'd had tanks of piranhas dropped in the lake just for the Second Task. With a hiss, he summoned his Firebolt.

No… he was going to do something… unconventional.

Smiling scarily, Harry raised his wand, and slowly dropped it.

"Part," he growled. He didn't know a spell for what he wanted to do, but he wanted it so badly, needed it - he was going to do it, damn it.

Slowly, the water in front of him began to part - as if a crevasse had opened up right there.

People in the audience were gasping, staring, shouting…

Finally, the waters finished parting. By that time, the firebolt had neatly landed in Harry's outstretched palm.

Silently, he climbed onto the broom, and stepped off the grassy edge. On a normal day, he would have landed right in the water - but now, he was gliding downwards, trying not to stare at the water that held still on either side of him.

Harry flew down, until, amazingly, he could see where he needed to go - about twenty feet away from where he was.

His holly wand whipped out, and a path to Hermione opened up.

The merpeople watched in awe as the young man raced up to the four captives - all tied to posts in the ground, which were all connected by one long horizontal bar.

Harry didn't think - he acted.

He tossed five feather light charms out - hitting each captive, and the combined posts. Then one, careful cutting hex, and all four posts were severed above where they stuck in the ground.

The merpeople looked astounded - and several of them, furious, tried to come towards Harry…

But the edge of the water was strangely firm, and prevented them from coming close.

Harry grinned, and as he began to lift off, he levitated the now-light wooden contraption.

Hermione remained sleeping - good, Harry thought thankfully, he knew she hated heights… even though _technically_ they were underground…

Within a minute, he was at the top of the lake, depositing the captives gently to the ground.

Just as they reached safety, the water flowed back together with a roar.

Harry ignored the stares, and the sounds, and focused. A few careful charms, and everyone was uncut and free.

"Ennervate," Harry whispered, as he caught Hermione before her limp body fell backwards.

Her eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Harry?" she whispered. Then, suddenly, her eyes widened, and she gripped his arms tightly. "They - I said no! - but he cursed me…"

Feeling angry again, Harry growled, and helped Hermione to her feet. He waved his wand three times, and the other three former hostages awoke.

Cho Chang gasped as she opened her eyes and saw she was by the lake. That was not where she was when she fell asleep...

A small blonde girl - most likely Fleur's sister - murmured something, frightened. Cho looked around, heard the girl, and reached for her.

"We're all right," the Ravenclaw said soothingly. "Hey…" The little girl fell into her arms, and Cho hugged her.

Krum's hostage, a tall Ravenclaw boy Harry was pretty sure was a prefect, looked around nervously.

"Happy now, Dumbledore?" Harry growled, aided again by a Sonorous. "Good work, you've found my breaking point. Good riddance."

Sliding onto his broomstick, Harry helped Hermione on.

She wrapped her arms around his waist - and they took off, rising fast, leaving everyone behind.

Cho and Gabrielle Delacour watched them fly away. Cho was surprised - but mostly just sad. She knew Harry Potter only vaguely, but he'd always seemed a nice, sensible boy. He'd never been treated right here - she remembered her third year, when everyone was accusing him of opening the Chamber of Secrets - and this year, when over half the school was shunning him for so long…

"So long, Harry Potter," Cho whispered. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cedric climbing out of the lake, and canceling his bubblehead charm.

He rushed over to her and kissed her swiftly.

"I was so worried," he told her. "What happened?"

"Harry Potter was annoyed," Ginny Weasley declared as she walked by, on her way to the castle. Maybe she could catch them before they left…

"I saw the waters part - and I was trying to figure out what was going on. Then the merpeople came, and kept on gesturing for me to go up, so I did."

"I think Harry got us all out," Cho said slowly. "He was trying to make a point… Oh my god, Hermione was refusing to play hostage, since we all knew Harry didn't want to participate, so Dumbledore just put her to sleep, without her consent… I was protesting when they got me with the spell. Then I was asleep - until I woke up here."

Fleur came out next, her robes rather tattered.

With a sob, she launched herself towards her little sister. Gabrielle gladly accepted the embrace.

After a moment, Cho pulled her boyfriend into another kiss.

"I know you would have," she replied to his unmentioned words. "If you'd had the chance."

Cho started as she saw a shark head rising above the water…

"It's okay, its just Krum," Cedric reassured her.

The man with a shark head reached for his wand, and managed to reverse the charm.

Sure enough, it was Viktor Krum - soaking wet, and walking towards them - towards Daniel Moorings.

"Why was Daniel his hostage -" Cedric began asking Cho. Krum's next action made him stop in the middle of his sentence.

In one moment, he'd stepped to the other boy, and with strong arms, Viktor Krum pulled the Ravenclaw to him and kissed him passionately.

"Uh," Cedric said weakly.

"Oh," Cho said, unable to look away.

"Mon Dieu," Fleur murmured throatily, quite captivated.

"So," Cedric said, averting his gaze. "Um, we should get dried off… Cho? Cho? Why are you looking like that?"

Cho finally glanced back at her boyfriend, looking a bit dazed.

"Nothing, darling. What was that you were saying?"

Needless to say, it took a while for the Champions (and the person they each would miss the most) to notice the furious arguments taking place in the judge's box.

* * *

"We need to move quickly," Hermione urged her parents. "I'm sorry, but it's not safe. If they find us…"

"We can have most of our stuff shipped to us," Helen agreed.

"I booked the very next flight," Robert Granger said, as he ushered the others to the car. "Oh, I'm going to miss this car."

"You can get ten just like it," Harry swore. "Let's just get there first…"

So twenty four hours after fleeing Hogwarts and Wizarding Britain, Harry and Hermione found themselves in Bermuda, along with the Grangers.

Hermione's parents were smart people who trusted their daughter - so when Hermione told them about what had happened at Hogwarts, they agreed that neither of the teenagers could return to that "terrible school."

Apparently, their former dentistry partner, who had moved to Bermuda five years previously, had invited them to move out there - extolling the beautiful island's virtues so much that Robert and Helen were already three quarters convinced to go.

Now, with Hermione's approval, they were ready to leave England for the small Atlantic island.

The small family was welcomed by the old dentistry friend, Pat Margulies, to stay with him and his wife for as long as they needed to get a place of their own.

"Mi casa su casa," Pat said warmly.

Harry found himself set up for bed in a small study on the second floor. The Grangers were in the official guest room, and Hermione had the Margulies' son Jonathan's room (he was off at college).

Before they settled into bed, Harry and Hermione nestled together on the porch swing.

"This is crazy."

"I know…"

"Crazy wonderful," Harry said softly, looking at her intently.

"Yes," Hermione whispered, feeling butterflies in her stomach.

He leaned forward and kissed her softly, firmly.

"I'm so glad we're still together."

"We'll always be… together in some way," Hermione decided.

"Best friends forever, no matter what?" Harry smiled.

"Exactly."

Hermione kissed him this time, and it was so easy to lose themselves in that simple, sharing act. Forgetting about everything else, Harry focused on Hermione.

He could be happy as long as he had her, Harry realized suddenly. Instead of scaring him... It suddenly made everything even better - even more meaningful.

"You know," Hermione sighed when she finally decided to release Harry from her warm hold, "Bermuda actually has an excellent, if small, school for magic."

Harry chuckled.

"Good to hear."

"I - I really think we can make all this work," Hermione said bravely.

They held each other and gazed at the moonlit ocean only a dozen yards away. It was truly spectacular - even better than the views they had had back at Hogwarts.

"Hey," Harry grinned. "You're a witch - and I'm a wizard. What could _possibly_ happen?"


End file.
